The present invention relates to a squeeze switch assembly or switch housing which is particularly suitable for use in stuffed toys and which is constructed so that environmental elements, such as dust or stuffing, are prevented from entering the switch assembly.
Stuffed toys have always been popular, but as technology developed, children's expectations changed so that there arose a demand for toys which had more than merely a pleasant appearance. Toys were thus developed which were able to move or make sounds, for example. In order to make a stuffed toy visually appealing and pleasant to the sense of touch, the electrical mechanism used to make the stuffed toy move or make sounds was inserted into the toy and hidden at least partially within the stuffing. The switching means used to activate the electrical mechanism was frequently placed at or near the surface of the toy so that it would be easily accessible; See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,633,667, 3,080,679, 3,162,980, 3,384,074, and 3,685,200. This surface placement of the switching means, however, detracted from the overall appearance of the toy.
Another type of switch assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,960 which comprises a slidably mounted spring loaded push button located at the surface of the doll, which when pressed, moves a lever which acts upon an actuator button that operates a talking mechanism. In this switch assembly, although the actuator button is located within the body of the doll, the mechanism is not sealed within a separate container to protect the mechanism from the doll's stuffing. After continued use of the toy, the stuffing of the toy could enter both the switch and the electrical mechanism causing either or both to malfunction.